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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Can Ashtanga yoga help when you have a crisis?

First, never forget: crises are self-made fantasies of the mind in most cases. Problems are created by ourselves for ourselves.

When we have now such a self-made problem, can Ashtanga yoga help?
- When you practice Ashtanga yoga for quite some time it's likely that it has became a passion, fun. People who have found a passion in their lives are protected to fall too deeply. I'm convinced of this. To practice Ashtanga yoga is possible at any moment. It's always available. Any passion can have the same rescue potential.
- When we feel so damned lousy, often the energy level is low. When it's not possible to go to a yoga class it might be difficult to practice alone. Any movement helps. To walk has healing power, too.
- Have a list what betters your mood: in my case it's bathing, going to a sauna, surfing the net. Know your likes.
- Writing is a wonderful tool for myself to handle a crisis. Don't write only when you feel bad. Write also about your highlights.
- Back to yoga: When we practice Asthanga yoga we learn to focus on what's now: I listen to my breath, I observe how I move, where my limits are. Focusing on the senses helps to become relaxed.
- Mastering the breath also means mastering the feelings and thoughts. To breathe slowly, observing the breath has a calming effect. One must only remember this. Observing a slow inhaling and exhaling is something that can be done 24 hours.

Picture: I cooked dinner yesterday: carrots in white wine sauce with chives. Eating well is also a little helper to stay optimistic and in good mood.

I've a cold, but this is neither a crises, nor a problem, only a bit bothering. I'll step on my mat today, but my practice will be modest. The body is the boss.

PS: The cure of self-pity is action.

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